Wednesday, March 04, 2009

The Human Factor - post V

The depth of characterisation means that even when the lead Castle does something you might not agree with you view him sympathetically. He certainly needs a lot of it at the end because he ends up ruining his routine abiding life by opting to do what he believes is right but in actual fact he is wrong.

Not wrong in the sense of wanting to fight apartheid but wrong in his failure to understand how the system works and how he is quite capable of being used as a pawn by both sides.

Ultimately if Castle was guided by love of his wife and adopted son then it is the separation from them that shows so clearly how he has failed and he is left alone and cut-off unable to protect them anymore.

On one level this is a cat and mouse game of spy versus spy but on another level it is about human values and what is right and wrong. That comes down to an individual level. But sadly even those who want to resign in protest can’t make a difference and those who try to share information are just temporary flies in the ointment and the real losers are themselves.

Brilliantly observed and political without preaching not just about South Africa but also the cold war and the class system.